Vanessa Hudgens seems to be making career choices that push her away from the High School Musical fandom and into darker territory. Among her recent film credits is Sucker Punch, and now it appears she’ll be playing the potential victim of a serial killer.

Deadline got the exclusive on the story at TIFF, posting that Hudgens has been cast to star alongside Nicolas Cage and John Cusack in Frozen Ground, a film based on the true story about Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen. Cusack will play Hansen, a killer who kidnaps women, sets them loose in the Alaskan wilderness and then hunts them down and kills them. Hudgens has been cast to play the only victim who managed to escape. Nicolas Cage is set to play the State Trooper for finds her and helps her bring Hansen to justice.

I hate the thought of John Cusack as a bad-guy. And by hate, I mean love. There’s always something a shade or two creepier in a villain played by an actor typically known for being the nice guy. As for Hudgens as the victim, this could be a true test of her acting chops. This role sounds like it'll be a challenging one. It will be interesting to see if she can continue shed her Disney-teen image and take on a real dramatic performance.

Frozen Ground begins shooting next month in Anchorage, Alaska.